Hundreds of low-cost private schools in India, which have become increasingly popular, are now being forced to shut down as a result of a new compulsory education law, titled Right To Education. The law, as part of India’s program to reform its educational system, requires a free and compulsory education for all children through elementary school. However, the law also mandates certain standards for educational facilities—standards these low-cost schools cannot meet.
The private schools, which offer education for as little as 100 rupees (about $1.63) a month—low enough to be available even to some of India’s poorest citizens—are being forced to shut down because their facilities do not meet RTE’s standards.
Critics of the schools say that that they are not providing running water or other basic amenities, and that they are not providing a high quality education. Some schools say that they will have to raise costs in order to meet the demands of the law. But parents students are fighting back. “Our parents are the pooorest of the poor, labourers and migrant workers, they won’t be able to afford it,” said Citanjali Krishnan, a teacher in a private school in Panchsheel Enclave in Delhi. Though comprehensive data on the school closings has not been released, officials have said that over 1,900 schools have been closed throughout the country so far.
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Written by Alex Leedom